Panasonic ZS50 vs Sony A100

Lets look a little more closely at the Panasonic ZS50 and Sony A100, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by rivals Panasonic and Sony. The sensor resolution of the ZS50 (12MP) and the A100 (10MP) is very well matched but the ZS50 (1/2.3") and A100 (APS-C) offer totally different sensor size.

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The ZS50 was manufactured 8 years later than the A100 and that is quite a sizable difference as far as technology is concerned. Both of the cameras have different body design with the Panasonic ZS50 being a Compact camera and the Sony A100 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before going right into a detailed comparison, here is a short overview of how the ZS50 scores against the A100 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

The following is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50 & Sony Alpha DSLR-A100. The entire galleries are available at Panasonic ZS50 Gallery & Sony A100 Gallery.

For anyone who is intending to carry your camera, you should factor its weight and volume. The Panasonic ZS50 offers physical dimensions of 111mm x 65mm x 34mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.3") having a weight of 243 grams (0.54 lbs) and the Sony A100 has sizing of 133mm x 95mm x 71mm (5.2" x 3.7" x 2.8") having a weight of 638 grams (1.41 lbs).

Compare the Panasonic ZS50 and Sony A100 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you select at that time. The following is a front view dimension comparison of the ZS50 vs the A100.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability score of the ZS50 and A100 is 90 and 64 respectively.

Quite often, it can be difficult to envision the contrast between sensor sizing merely by checking specifications. The photograph below should provide you a stronger sense of the sensor dimensions in the ZS50 and A100.

To sum up, the two cameras have different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The ZS50 because of its tinier sensor will make shooting shallower depth of field more challenging and the Panasonic ZS50 will resolve extra detail due to its extra 2MP. Greater resolution will help you crop images a bit more aggressively. The fresher ZS50 is going to have a benefit in sensor technology.